Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-06-21
TnE DEANER APPLE TREE.


The storm on sunday played havoc with
the largest aud oldest apple tree In this city.
The time Of its planting 10 unknown, but II
was probably one hundred years old before
the seed Of the famous APpomaitox apple
tree was planted. The tree stands in the
rear Of the lot attached TO Mira Dsaner's
residence, Az North Duke street. The butt
near the ground Is nine feet In circumference
and is Of the same gitth for . distance Of ten
or twelve feet upwards, at which point the
great limbs branch OIL and extend for an sd.
ditional height OF fifty or sixty feet and
branch oil literally for even . greater dis
tance.
1t Was one of these great limbs that the
storm blew down Sunday afternoon; and -
one looks st it lying In the garden, he won.
ders that II did not iAl long ago for 1t greatly
decayed at the heart and WAS only held up by
q comparatively thin circle Of solid wood.
Nevertheless the fallen limb and indeed the
whole tree looks remar kably healthy, and
bears upon It's branches many bushels OF
apples
Mrs Deauer remembers the Spple tree full
fifty years ago, and it appeared to her then ~
large Is 1t does now. The place was then
known a. Porter's ice cream garden, and
many time she sat under its wide spread.
ing branches on warm summer evenings and
ate ice cream with young John Deaner,
whom she afterwards married.
TIMES LONG GOMEZ BY.
Twenty years ago the late Henry +. Leman
bought all the property on North Duke
| street, between Lemon and James street, and
laid 1t out into building lots. one OF these
he sold to Martin Urich, who partly
built q fine residence upon it, but
| for want Of money could not finish 1t, and 1t
/ "a mn hv r. Nr
advised Mr. Deaner to cut down the big
| apple tree, which was about the last Of what
| had been long ago an old orchard. Mr..
| Deaner thought best to save the tree, and rs
long as he lived he was very proud OF it.
| Many q time and Oft he and company OF
| congeniM friends sat under IL, anu as they
slipped their wine or beer discussed affairs OF
state or matters of trade. Among the more
| frequent visitors were " Bishop" Henry
FRANKIE, the famous brewer Charles r.
Repgier, the father OF bonnie Cbarlie OF TO-
day Herman Miller, and Billy" Morton,
at that time Mr.. Deaner's book keeper, and
at present "his honor, Mayor Norton
There we're q good many other congenia
spirits entertained under the old apple tree
but with the exception OF the mayor, " be
was the youngest of the group nearly all o.
them have passed over to the other side.
/ PLACE FOX MEEI1NGs.
Long before Mrs. Deener's time the old
orchard was used for the holding o. outdoor
political meetings, aud the speakers platform
was al ways erected under the big spple tree.
Here Democracy and Federalism was dis
cussed F; Democracy and anti-M Mssonry De-
mocrscy and Whiggery, and Democracy and
the various other isms that sprung up from
time to time and bit the dust and perished
beneath the sturdy strokes Of Democratic
champions. Mrs. Deaner does not know
when these outpourings Of the Democracy
| first assembled under the old apple tree, but
she remembers to have heard the late ex
Mayor Ssnderson tell Mr.. Deaner that he re-
called 1t when he was q boy, and that mss'
meetings were held under it at that time
This would make the tree big one in th'
days OF General Jackson's presidency O
earlier.
MrA Desner and her family have occupiet
, their present home for seventeen years ant
every year Of that time the old apple tree ha
borne an abundant crop, atiording frui
, enough not only for family use, but bushel
besides for the neighbors The fruit is o
excellent quality, the apples being large an,
Of bright red color, pleasant TO the tsst,
and good for cooking. They ripsn late il
the fall and keep well In winter.
Don't mistake this screed for an obituary
notice OF the old apple tree Only one Of it
principal branches has fallen. The grea
trunk still stands, supporting other branche,
fifty feet in height and spreading wide enough
to shade the pretty garden in which 1t stands
and every branch is filled with fruit Unless
another cyclone should strike the big tree, II
may bear for many years to come.